


The Art of Jealousy

by Akira_of_the_Twilight



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Apologies, Blushing, Chat Noir Makes Puns, Dorks in Love, Fluff and Angst, Forgiveness, Jealousy, Kissing, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, Other, Shyness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-07-04 22:17:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15850518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akira_of_the_Twilight/pseuds/Akira_of_the_Twilight
Summary: “That’s great, right?” Marc’s head swiveled between Luka and Nathaniel. “You two can work together.” He hugged his elbow. “All three of us can make a comic book together.”Nathaniel slapped his pencil down. With agile movements, he slammed his sketchbook shut and gathered up his pencil, book, and satchel.“Nathaniel?” Marc’s voice came out a squeak.“What happened to just you and me?” Nathaniel stormed off.“Wait, Nathaniel, I-” A chair screeched across the floor. Marc yelped. A thump then a grunt.Nathaniel spun.Marc lay on the floor, his foot entangled with the chair’s leg, and Luka bent over him. Marc lifted his head. His attention landed on Nathaniel.Hurt, betrayal, confusion, and a silent plea had taken over Marc’s face.Guilt body slammed into Nathaniel. He tried to ignore it by focusing on his hurt and anger, but his guilt was a crushing weight that couldn’t be shoved aside.It could be fled from though.Nathaniel bolted.





	The Art of Jealousy

Nathaniel tapped his pencil against his sketchbook as a spark of irritation and jealousy momentarily overwhelmed his ability to draw a line. He struggled to be subtle as he glanced at the other end of the worktable where Marc was supposed to be crafting the script for the next issue of their comic book.

Marc had gone on break when Luka Couffaine had waltzed into the room like he belonged there.

Didn’t the guy have a different school that he was supposed to be at? Why did he have to show up at Nathaniel’s?

Not that Nathaniel had been complaining when Luka had started showing up long ago. Luka was cool and laid back. He also encouraged the students when they had creative blocks. Plus, it was amusing watching Rose and him come up with lyrics for their rock band, while his sister Juleka added her opinion to the process now and then.

Nathaniel had liked Luka, and he begrudgingly still did.

He just wished Marc didn’t like Luka so much.

Luka and Marc had met just as Marc and Nathaniel had been about to start the second issue of their comic book.

Marc had flushed and stuttered the first time Luka had spoken to him.

Luka wore his warm and lazy smile as he asked Marc about what he wrote. As Marc mumbled a clunky summary for the comic book he and Nathaniel were working on, Luka was calm and praising.

“I’d love to read the script when you are finished.”

Marc had gone as red as the hoodie he wore everyday that made him look like he was cosplaying as a modern day Riding Hood.

Since that day, Luka and Marc had gravitated toward each other. When Marc needed a break from writing he talked to Luka, and Luka vice versa when he couldn’t conjure a tune or lyric.

It drove Nathaniel crazy.

Nathaniel slipped his hand through his tomato-hued locks as he rested his cheek in his palm. He bit the inside of his cheek when Marc laughed at something Luka had said.

Nathaniel stole a glance at the duo.

They looked good together. Marc’s bright red and rainbow colors contrasted beautifully with Luka’s blue, black, and white color palette. Luka was the mellow and friendly punk rocker to Marc’s shy but passionate writer. Even their faces were a magnificent mix of differences that when put next to each other, brought out all of their best features.

Especially Marc’s in Nathaniel’s opinion, but Nathaniel could admit that he was biased.  

“You wouldn’t happen to have any polish on you, by the way?” Luka held up his hand. He curled his fingers as he showed off his black nail polish. All of the nails had nicks, but the most prominent damage to the nails was the strip of black missing from the thumb. Luka had slashed off half of the paint there.

“In my bag.” Marc delicately took Luka’s hand in his to examine the damage.

Nathaniel’s stomach twisted. He snapped his gaze back to the comic book page in his sketchbook.

Sketches of Mightyllustrator and Ladybug prowled the rooftops of the burgeoning world Nathaniel had been lovingly creating until Luka and Marc had started chatting. An inner voice demanded that he work on the comic book page, but his heart wasn’t in it anymore.

Nathaniel twisted in his seat so his sketchbook was closer to him and at an angle that would make it impossible for Marc to see what he was drawing. Nathaniel flipped to the back where he doodled when he wasn’t working on the comic. The backside of his sketchbook wasn’t free of Mightyllustrator and Ladybug; however, instead of fighting crime the two heroes did things like dance under the stars or eat ice cream together. Sometimes it would be his classmate Marinette instead of Ladybug who hung out with Mightyllustrator. Recently though, it was Marc who joined Mightyllustrator on his daily adventures.

In Nathaniel’s sketchbook he had drawn Marc writing in his notebook under the staircase. Across from Marc, Mightyllustrator drew Marc on his tablet with a fond expression on his face. In another scene, Mightyllustrator used his powers to draw an anime version of his face onto the front of Marc’s hoodie. A blush darkened Marc’s face, but he smiled. The following scene, Marc strolled the streets of Paris with the hoodie on as he carried a bottle of juice in his hands. On two side-by-side pages there were mirror images of Mightyllustrator carrying Marc and Marc carrying Mighty Illustrator.

Drawing after drawing of Marc filled the back of the sketchbook. The further one went into the sketchbook the more romantic the drawings of Marc became. The images went from Marc and Mightyllustrator hanging out to them holding hands, casually hugging or leaning on each other, to kisses pressed to cheeks.

The drawing Nathaniel had been working on was of Mightyllustrator kissing Marc on the lips. He’d been working on it for days, but he couldn’t figure out Marc’s expression. At first he had planned to draw Marc with his eyes closed and a serene smile peeking out from the kiss.

The expression felt like a lie. This was Marc and Mightyllustrator’s first kiss. Marc could be surprisingly bold at times, but most of the time he was shy, especially when it came to matters of the heart. Nathaniel could still picture the stuttering mess Marc had become when he had read aloud the kissing scene Marc had written for their comic.

He wanted to read it aloud again, just so he could see the lovely ruby flush of Marc’s cheeks.

Nathaniel brushed his pencil against the paper as he added eyes to Marc’s face in his drawing. His gut told him he would be erasing them in five minutes, but right then his muse commanded him to make an attempt at completing the drawing that had been haunting him for days.

“Wouldn’t it be, Nathaniel?” Marc’s eager voice penetrated Nathaniel’s thoughts.

“Huh?” Nathaniel ripped his eyes from the page. His gaze rammed into Marc’s excited emerald one. For a moment, Nathaniel was taken in by the long lashes that added a special quality to Marc’s eyes that Nathaniel didn’t have the words for; he knew he liked it though.

“The soundtrack,” Marc explained, his energy and passion still as high as a cloud. He gestured to Luka. “Luka can compose a soundtrack for our comic.”

Jealousy frayed Nathaniel’s heartstrings. He felt many of the strings snap, but a precious few held up his heart. “Comics don’t have soundtracks,” he said.

“Well, I mean…” Marc’s hand went to his chest as he hugged himself at the waist. It was a common pose of Marc’s. It was one he took when he was nervous. He’d cling to his notebook like it was a teddy bear as he’d give himself a hug. His notebook lay open on the table though.

Luka rested his hand on Marc’s shoulder. He offered Marc a smile then shared the expression with Nathaniel. Luka took his cell phone out of his pocket. He tapped the screen.  “A lot of online comics have soundtracks.” Soft music poured out of his cell phone. He turned the phone around so Nathaniel could see the screen. A colorful comic strip glowed on the screen. “Your comic is awesome. I want to help you kick it up notch with some sweet music.”

Nathaniel squeezed his pencil as his heartstrings snapped once more. One heartstring remained that suspended his heart above the pit of jealousy and despair that had burrowed into him.

“I know about music,” Nathaniel muttered. He wasn’t a wannabe rockstar like Luka, but he knew enough to play a tune.

“That’s great, right?” Marc’s shoulders rose to his ears. His head swiveled between Luka and Nathaniel. “You two can work together.” Marc curled into himself. He hugged his elbow. His green gaze darted up to meet Nathaniel’s. “All three of us can make a comic book together.”

The last heartstring snapped.

Nathaniel shoved his seat out as he slapped his pencil down. With agile movements, he slammed his sketchbook shut and gathered up his pencil, book, and satchel. He shoved his things into the bag.

“Nathaniel?” Marc’s voice came out a squeak.

“What happened to just you and me?” Nathaniel pivoted and stormed off.

“Wait, Nathaniel, I-” A chair screeched across the floor. Marc yelped. A _thump_ then a grunt.  

Nathaniel spun.

Marc lay on the floor, his foot entangled with the chair’s leg, and Luka bent over him.

“Are you okay?” Luka gently touched Marc’s ankle then eased Marc’s foot free from the chair.

“Yeah, I-” Marc lifted his head. His attention landed on Nathaniel.

Hurt, betrayal, confusion, and a silent plea had taken over Marc’s face.

Guilt body slammed into Nathaniel. He tried to ignore it by focusing on his hurt and anger, but his guilt was a crushing weight that couldn’t be shoved aside.

It could be fled from though.

Nathaniel bolted.

He pushed past students and even a teacher as he sprinted away. He scoured the school for a place he could be alone. He cursed when every spot he ran to was occupied. In a desperate moment, he twisted the knob on the janitor’s closet, expecting it to be locked. He was briefly surprised and relieved when the door swayed open.

He dashed inside and slammed the door behind him.

Nathaniel shoved the mop and its bucket out of his way so there was a space for him on the floor. He moved aside a pail of paint and a carton of rags as well. The faint smell of cleaning products wafted in the air.

Nathaniel crumpled into his corner of the closet. He clutched his bag to his chest. Frustration buffeted him around like he was a dry leaf in storm. He was so mad at Marc and Luka, but he was more furious with himself. He knew he had no right to be angry at Marc, and he supposed the same could be said about Luka (it scathed his insides admit the latter). Even so, he felt so hurt and enraged.

Nathaniel reached into his satchel and pulled out his sketchbook. He flipped to the incomplete drawing of Mightyllustrator and Marc kissing.

Why was he always messing up? Why was his life stuck on repeat?

A shimmering, black and purple butterfly slid through the cracks of the door.

Hawkmoth.

Nathaniel’s insides turned cold. His fear of Hawkmoth gripped him. However his fear was unable to restrain the bitterness and self-loathing that had taken root in him, which festered at the butterfly’s invasion.

How much of a screw up did he have to be in order for him to get so angry and depressed that Hawkmoth wanted to akumatize him again?

The butterfly floated toward Nathaniel.

Nathaniel swung himself aside. The sketchbook fell out of his lap.

The butterfly dove for the page of Mightyllustrator and Marc kissing.

 The page in Nathaniel’s sketchbook turned purple then black.

Nathaniel tensed.

 _“Repeat you say?”_ a familiar voice hummed thoughtfully in his head.

Like a switch had been flipped, Nathaniel’s fear vanished. All that remained was the hurt and outrage born from watching Marc spend time with Luka—cultivated by the act of Marc sharing what was supposed to just be a project between them with someone else.

Hawkmoth made an admonishing sound. “ _Why yes, it would seem that way. You just can’t stop those passionate emotions—can’t quell the need to be the one and only in your partner’s eyes._ _Never fear, Evillustrator, you’ll always have me. Let’s learn from our past mistakes. It’s time for a sequel, and this time we’ll get what we want._ ”

A voice in the back of Nathaniel’s head cried out in refusal, but it was drowned out by images of Marc and Luka together, heartbreak, and a rage that scorched him.

“He’ll see that no one else compares to me,” Nathaniel said.

The black and purple that had consumed his drawing oozed out from the page. The nightmarish cloud engulfed him. As it devoured him, an invigorating swell of power rushed through his being.

He rose to his feet, ripping out the page from his book in the process.

Confidence flowed through him as the black and purple cloud dissipated.

Evillustrator took a moment to appreciate his freedom and admire himself. His costume was molded to his body, to the point of looking like flesh. He was art given life. The stark black and white lines of his top half contrasted with the red and purple of his legs that blended together harmonically. Division and blending: he liked those concepts.

Not as much as he loved the drawing tablet on his arm or the pen in his left hand.

He couldn’t wait to create and destroy.

He couldn’t wait for Marc to see just how perfect he was.

At the thought of Marc, Evillustrator glanced at the page torn from the sketchbook. The image of himself kissing Marc twisted something inside of him.

“ _Now, now, Evillustrator, don’t be getting ideas._ ”

Pain shot up Evillustrator’s left arm. His arm jerked uncontrollably then dropped at his side.

“ _This time you will go after Chat Noir and Ladybug’s Miraculouses first._ ”

Evillustrator grimaced. He weaved his pen between his fingers. He flexed his hand to rid himself of the aftershocks of Hawkmoth’s control. “Understood.”

“ _A partnership is about give and take, and I have given you something quite special and different from last time._ ”

Evillustrator’s left hand jerked again. There was no pain this time as his hand moved of its own accord.

His hand brought his pen to his tablet. It drew a circle then some lines to form the basis of a figure.

“ _I’m sure you can figure it out from here._ ”

Evillustrator’s hand stopped moving. He smirked.

Oh yes. He knew exactly what to do.

* * *

Marc hugged himself as Alix, Luka, Rose, and Juleka surrounded him. He was seated on a stool. Luka kneeled in front of him. He pressed an ice pack to Marc’s throbbing ankle.

“I swear I’m fine. I really need to check on Nathaniel.” Marc carefully pushed himself off the stool so he wouldn’t accidentally knock his knee into Luka’s nose. The moment he put weight on his foot, his ankle vehemently protested the act.

Marc grimaced.

“Your face says differently.” Luka rose. He placed his palm on Marc’s shoulder. He tried to gently guide Marc to sit on the stool.

Marc stood stubbornly in place, but he lifted his injured foot.

“Forget about Nathaniel.” Alix put her hands on her hips. She tossed an annoyed glance at the exit, as if Nathaniel were there. “I’m not sure what flew up his nose today, but he was a jerk. Let him cool down then he’ll come running back to apologize.”

It relieved Marc to hear Alix thought Nathaniel would apologize, but it didn’t untangle the worried knots in his stomach. Nathaniel had been so upset. He had hurt Marc, but Nathaniel had been hurting too.

 _“What happened to just you and me?”_ Nathaniel had asked. The question at first had stung Marc’s heart. Now, his heart ached, but there was slight warmth of happiness to it too.

 _“...just you and me.”_ The words flushed Marc’s cheeks. He was such a weirdo getting so hung up on just a few words, but words had meaning. Nathaniel wanted it to be just them, and there was something romantic and possessive about that. Perhaps he should be a little more upset about Nathaniel’s possessiveness—and cognitively, he did not approve—but there was a certain satisfaction in knowing that Nathaniel coveted him.

It was a little disappointing that Nathaniel’s possessiveness only extended to Marc as a writer and as the co-creator of their comic book. Nonetheless, it was nice to know he was of some value to Nathaniel.

It wasn’t so nice that Nathaniel had snapped at him then run out of the classroom even after he had seen that Marc had fallen.

The emotional hurt that Marc had put aside for the moment returned. He pushed it down. Crying over Nathaniel wasn’t going to do him any good.

Besides, he could do that at home where he could write about it in his journal and listen to his favorite music.

Raucous crashing and a loud bellow from outside penetrated the classroom.

Everyone tensed.

“Oh no.” Rose’s hand flew to her cheek. “You don’t think someone got akumatized, do you?”

Ice pierced Marc’s heart. Nathaniel was outside. What if he was in trouble?

Juleka grabbed Rose’s hand. She took a step away from the door, urging her girlfriend to do the same.

“Quick!” Alix pumped her fists in the air. “Let’s barricade the door, and-”

Marc shoved his way through his friends. His ankle cried as he sprinted out of the classroom, ignoring the panicked shouts of his friends.

Marc skidded to a halt. He seized the railing of the balcony overlooking the courtyard.  

Stoneheart raged across the courtyard. The massive man of boulders cracked the cement where he stomped. He flung his fist down on the stairs leading up to the second floor of the school. The stairs came down like a landslide.

“Marc!” Luka dashed to Marc’s side. He seized Marc by the elbow. “You’re hurt. We need to get you-”

Stoneheart roared.

Marc and Luka snapped their heads toward the sound.

Stoneheart hurled a chunk of staircase at them.

Luka and Marc sprang apart.

Marc hissed as he put too much weight on his foot. He tilted then fell onto his weakened side.

The ground rumbled like a giant rudely awakened from slumber. Just as Marc lifted his head to see what was happening, a wall of stone rose from the ground between him and Luka.

Marc’s breath caught in his throat.

He didn’t remember Stoneheart having that kind of power.

“Marc!” Nathaniel’s voice carried from down the hallway.

Hope lifted his heart as concern tried to drag it down. Marc flipped onto his hands and knees to face Nathaniel.

Nathaniel jogged toward him. His fist pumped at his side. Worry pinched his face.

“Nathaniel.” Marc pushed himself to a stand. He swayed.

Nathaniel caught up to him. His right hand splayed across the hip of Marc’s injured leg, as the other touched Marc’s shoulder to steady him.  “You’re safe.”

Stoneheart bellowed. He bounced in the courtyard, creating craters where he landed.

“Not sure ‘safe’ is the right word,” Marc said. “Do you know what happened to Ivan? Maybe we can help?” What had happened to cause Ivan to turn into Stoneheart again? Had Ivan and Mylene broken up? Had someone picked on Ivan?

Nathaniel shook his head. He released his balancing hold on Marc. He grabbed Marc’s hand. “Ladybug and Chat Noir will handle it. We need to evacuate.” Nathaniel tugged Marc forward.

Nathaniel started to run, but Marc hissed.

Nathaniel turned. His attention shot to Marc’s injured ankle. “Marc, did…” Fury contorted Nathaniel’s expression. His gaze locked onto Stoneheart. “Did he hurt you?”

Marc shook his head.

“Then when did…” Horror drained the ferocity from Nathaniel’s face. “When you chased after me...”

From the corner of his eye, Marc spotted Stoneheart pick up a chunk of cement and aim it at Nathaniel.

“Nathaniel!” Marc threw himself at Nathaniel. He braced himself to take the hit even as gravity dragged them down.

There was whir of sound. The cement broke apart as if sliced. The pieces fell just short of Nathaniel and Marc.

Nathaniel and Marc hit the floor with a grunt. They winced at the impact.

“Looks like somebody is having a bad day.” Ladybug flew down from the roof, landing perfectly on her feet in the courtyard. The masked heroine spun her yo-yo around like a bolas. “Haven’t we met before?” she asked Stoneheart with a smile.

“Looks like you two could use a hand, or purrhaps a paw?” A leather gloved hand with claws extended itself to Marc.

Marc followed the hand up the black, leather suit of its owner, to the green eyed Chat Noir’s face. Even as Chat Noir offered help, he had a smug grin that could be described as “the cat that had caught the cannery.”

Marc accepted the hands up. Once he was standing, Marc joined Chat in offering help to Nathaniel.

Just as Nathaniel got his footing his hand in Chat Noir’s slipped.

Chat jerked. He yanked his hand back as he curled it into a fist. “Careful there.” He winked at Nathaniel. He held up his hand’s palm to show off his claws and inadvertently the miraculous ring that the villainous Hawkmoth coveted. “I’m usually a nice kitty, but even I can make a mistake and scratch when startled.”

Red bloomed in Nathaniel’s cheeks. He rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry.”

Chat nodded. He pulled out his staff and extended it. He gave it a twirl. “No worries. You two better find safety for now. Milady and I will handle this.” With that, Chat sprang into the fight.

“You heard him.” Nathaniel picked up Marc’s hand again. He cradled it gently in his palm, before giving it a squeeze. “Let’s go.”

A heat that Marc was all too familiar with spread up his neck and to his cheeks. He returned Nathaniel’s squeeze. “A-alright.”

Nathaniel guided Marc away from Stoneheart at a brisk pace. His eyes continuously darted toward Marc’s ankle.

“We’ll get you some ice, “Nathaniel promised.

“O-okay.” Nathaniel could tell Marc that they were going to jump off a bridge and Marc would follow him.

* * *

Ladybug back flipped out of the way of Stoneheart’s enormous fist. Her foot fell into a hole. With a cry of shock, Ladybug teetered sideways.

Stoneheart picked up the railing from the stairs. He swung the battered staircase like a bat at her.

Chat Noir dove into the fray. Metal collided with metal as his staff clashed with the stair rail.

“A duel?” Chat purred. “Don’t mind if I do.” With a twist, Chat Noir knocked the rail out of Stoneheart’s grip.

“Nothing.” Chat Noir hollered over his shoulder at Ladybug, “Didn’t he have a note in his hand the last time we fought?”

“Looks like the akuma possesses something else of his.” Ladybug scrutinized Stoneheart as he lunged at Chat. “I just don’t know what,” she mumbled. He wasn’t carrying anything, and she couldn’t find a place where Stoneheart could tuck away whatever item of his had been possessed.

Stoneheart slammed his fist on the ground.

The earth quaked and cracked. Jagged slabs of cement and rocks burst from the ground in the form of a spiky trail that was plowed toward Chat.

“Whoa!” Chat jumped out of the way, but his balance was off from the quake. He pin wheeled his arms then rammed his staff onto the ground. He used his staff to steady him.

A boulder appeared beside Stoneheart—literally. One moment there was air, the next a boulder half Stoneheart’s size was there.

Stoneheart hauled the boulder up. He heaved it at the distracted Chat.

Panic shot through Ladybug. She flung her yo-yo at the rail of the second floor balcony. The yo-yo latched. Ladybug swung herself toward Chat.

She caught Chat around the waist.

The boulder whispered across her back as it zoomed past.

“Whew!” Chat breathed a sigh of relief. “That was close. Also, since when did Stoneheart have powers like this?”

“Beats me, kitty.” Ladybug landed them as far away from Stoneheart as she could. There wasn’t much space in the courtyard, and very little cover from Stoneheart’s attacks.

“Give me your miraculouses!” Stoneheart smashed the ground to generate another quake.

Ladybug and Chat Noir moved to launch.

Rocks burgeoned from the ground like the bars of a spring loaded cage that had been hidden under their feet. The bars of rock bent and melded together to entrap them in a prison shaped like a birdcage.

“No need to panic, milady,” Chat snaked his arm around Ladybug’s waist. He yanked her close as he pressed the top of his staff against the center of the cage where the bars met. “I know how to get out of this.”

Chat Noir pressed the button on his staff to extend it. There was a _thunk_ as his staff pushed against the rocky top of the cage but was unable to increase in length.

Chat Noir’s cheeks tinged pink. He released Ladybug to touch the back of his neck sheepishly. “Whoops.”

Ladybug pointed to the “bottom” of the bars. “They’re connected to the ground. We’re going to need something a little more destructive to break out of this.” Ladybug smirked at Chat Noir.

Chat Noir returned the look. He placed a hand over his chest. “It would be an honor, milady.” Chat Noir thrust his hand into the air. “Cata-Look out!”

* * *

Nathaniel cupped Marc’s ankle as he pressed an ice pack to the twist. Marc’s shoulder blades twitched at the sudden cold contact.

“How’s that?” Nathaniel asked. He kneeled before Marc in a position that sent Marc’s thoughts reeling into fairy tale land. It felt like he was Cinderella and Nathaniel was slipping on his glass slipper. Except the questionable yet beautiful footwear was a one use only ice pack that Nathaniel had bought from the convenience store that they were currently taking shelter in.

Never had Marc thought that the chip aisle would be a romantic location, but with Nathaniel they might as well be kissing on the Pont des Arts at sunset.

“Marc?” Nathaniel leaned in with a frown on his face. “Are you okay?”

“Oh. Um. Yeah.” Marc grabbed the collar of his jacket for comfort. His other hand held his wrist. “Just nervous.”

Nathaniel kept one hand on the ice pack and laid the other on Marc’s knee. “Don’t worry. Nothing bad is going to happen to you.”

Three arrows from Cupid’s bow lodged themselves in Marc’s heart. He really did feel like a fairy tale princess. How was he going to keep his cool around Nathaniel? His face was heating up! He was blushing! His only hope was that he blushed so often around Nathaniel that Nathaniel would think his blush was just an indicator that Marc was feeling a little overheated.

“Y-yeah,” Marc forced himself to say. He plastered on a smile. “Ladybug and Chat Noir are on the case.”

“Yeah…” Nathaniel’s tone was flat. He glanced over his shoulder. “I’m going to get you a brace. Let’s get out of here after.”

“I’ll be fine without a brace.” Marc flailed his hands, trying to communicate how unnecessary it was for Nathaniel to spend his money on him. He probably needed that money for lunch or something else that was really important. Marc couldn’t let Nathaniel waste on him, especially on an injury that would heal on its own in a day or two. “Besides, we should stay here until Stoneheart is dealt with.”

“I’m getting you a brace.” Nathaniel lowered his head. “I owe you after what I did back there. Besides, it’s my fault anyway.”

“No, it’s not. I’m a klutz; you know that.”

“Still, I shouldn’t have run off like that or have gotten so mad at you. I’m sorry.”

Marc’s heart warmed at Nathaniel’s apology. This was one of the many reasons why he loved Nathaniel. He was sensitive, and sometimes that sensitivity got the better of him, but it also led to sweet and genuine moments like this.

“It’s okay. I mean… it’s mostly okay.” Marc fiddled with the drawstring of his jacket. “We still need to talk about… you know… why you got mad.”

Nathaniel nodded. “We will. Just…” He looked over his shoulder again then back at Marc. “Let’s get that brace then get out of here. I don’t want to talk about it here.”

Marc sighed. “You really don’t need to get me a brace.”

Nathaniel grinned. “I’m getting you one anyway.”

* * *

Riposte thrust her sword through the rock bars of the cage.

Ladybug twisted.

Riposte’s blade ghosted past Ladybug’s earring.

Heartbeat quickening, Ladybug flung her yo-yo so it wrapped around Riposte’s sword. She yanked with all her might.

With a cry of surprise, the metallic villain rammed into the bars. She was stunned for just a moment, but that was all Ladybug needed to loop the string of her yo-yo around Riposte and tie her to the cage.

Red eyes glowed and Riposte growled.

“Quick, Chat, before Stoneheart-” Ladybug cut herself off. She glanced up.

Where was Stoneheart?

The only signs of the geo foe were the remains of his destruction and the cage that held Chat and herself.

“Did he burrow underground?” Chat Noir asked.

Riposte wrestled against her bindings. Her sword sawed the yo-yo’s string. The string was formidable; it was far stronger than the average yo-yo’s, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t eventually splinter under an enemy’s attack. Ladybug couldn’t keep Riposte trapped forever, and there was still the threat of Stoneheart to consider. Chat’s joke aside, even though there were no signs of Stoneheart having tunneled underground, Stoneheart appeared to have new powers. Right now, anything was possible.

“Break the cage and be ready to defend, Chat.”

“I’m always ready.” Chat raised his hand. “Cataclysm!” Black particles that were ink-like in movements and shape gathered into an orb in Chat’s hand. He clenched the orb, and his hand became engulfed in the destructive substance.

He slapped his palm on the bars. The black substance spread through the rocks until the entire cage was covered.

In a second, the bars dissolved. Riposte stumbled forward as Ladybug withdrew her yo-yo and spun out of Riposte’s path.

Riposte caught her balance then shifted. She swung her sword at Ladybug only for metal to meet metal as Chat slid in to parry with his staff.

“Looks like it’s time for a rematch.” Chat Noir smirked at Riposte. “Let’s see who the better fencer is.”

“You!” Riposte growled. “I will not be defeated!” She lunged at Chat Noir with the speed of a bullet.

Chat Noir barely blocked her blow. Before he could catch his breath, she was on him again. Her attacks increased in speed. Each swing or lunge forced Chat back.

“Uh, milady, my cat like reflexes aren’t going to last forever.”

Ladybug clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth in frustration. Chat was right. After using Cataclysm, he only had a few minutes left before he would de-transform. It felt too soon to use her Lucky Charm with Stoneheart missing in action, but she didn’t have many options left.

Ladybug tossed her yo-yo into the air and shouted, “Lucky-”

Duck tape covered Ladybug’s mouth.

Ladybug’s yo-yo bounced as it hit the ground.

Ladybug reeled in her yo-yo then clawed at her mouth to get the tape off.

“Lady-” Chat shouted only to cry out.

Ladybug snapped toward Chat. He lay sprawled on the ground.

Riposte charged at Ladybug.

Ladybug swerved out of Riposte’s path. She scratched at the corner of her mouth where the duck tape felt weak.

Riposte pivoted. Fencing techniques discarded, Riposte leaped at Ladybug with her sword poised high.

Ladybug rolled out of the way.

She yanked the duck tape off her mouth. Her chest heaved as she gasped for breath. In the heat of battle her limited air supply hadn’t registered, but now that the tape was removed from her mouth, she was aware of just how much the tape had hampered her.

Boulder hands burst from the ground and seized Ladybug. She cried out as the rocks pinned her arms to her sides. Her body pinched as her bones whined a feeble protest against the claustrophobic clutches of the hands that held her.

“This is way too handsy!” Chat Noir wiggled in the sizeable snatch of gravel that restrained him even as it lifted him high like a trophy.

“Stoneheart?” Ladybug swiveled her head around, searching for the tenacious titan of bedrock. Her instinct was to believe that the rocky hands clasping her were Stoneheart’s; however, last she checked there was still only one Stoneheart and there were two pairs of hands holding Chat Noir and her.

Ladybug kept searching, her attention drifting to the roof of the school.

Ladybug inhaled sharply.

The purple-faced artiste known as Evillustrator hovered above the school’s roof. The wicked curve of his mouth and the gleam in his eyes broadcasted his glee at their peril. He danced his pen across the tablet attached to his arm.

Red, round figures appeared in the sky at Evillustrator’s head. The objects flew toward Ladybug and Chat Noir.

A beep came from Chat Noir’s ring.

“Uh… milady, I’m about to get declawed. Unless you gotta plan, this cat is going to need to flee.”

The red figures drew near.

Ladybug’s eyes widened.

Robotic ladybugs zoomed toward her. One hurtled at her face.

Ladybug squinted her eyes. She gasped when the ladybug landed on her earring. It tugged on her miraculous.

Ladybug jerked her head away. The ladybug bot bobbed in the air at its loss. The bot buzzed as it shot at her ear again.

Ladybug craned her ear out of reach, only for a second bot to appear and latch onto her other earring. Ladybug shook her head, stopping the bots briefly. “Chat, if you can get us out of this then do it! We need to retreat.”

“Got it. I hope this works!”

One moment Chat Noir was in a vise of stone, the next the fingers were pried apart by Chat’s staff.

Chat fell to the ground, landing on his feet. Riposte awaited him as enraged and thirsty for battle as always.

Chat Noir smirked. “Bet you can’t catch me.” Chat Noir ran and jumped onto the fingers, imprisoning Ladybug. “Need a hand?”

Riposte sprung after Chat.

Chat Noir swung himself out of Riposte’s path.

Riposte’s sword slammed into the stone hands. Finger by finger, her blade sliced through the rocks.

Ladybug grabbed her yo-yo and threw it toward the roof of the school—away from Evillustrator. Chat Noir wrapped his arms around her. She felt her yo-yo loop around one of the roof’s fixtures and tugged.

She slingshot them onto the roof. She didn’t wait for Chat to let go of her once they landed.  She leaped to the nearest building.

She couldn’t give Evillustrator time to draw something that could slow her down—not when Chat Noir’s identity was at risk of being revealed.

She’d get Chat somewhere safe.

Once he re-transformed, the battle would continue.

* * *

Evillustrator scowled as Ladybug and Chat Noir vanished in the distance. He clenched his pen.

He’d been so close to getting Ladybug’s miraculous. If it hadn’t been for that obnoxious feline, he would have had her earrings. Chat Noir wasn’t supposed to be the creative and brainy one of the heroic duo. Evillustrator hadn’t even considered that Chat Noir would use Riposte’s sword to break Ladybug free.

Evillustrator whirled on Riposte.

The sword wielder flinched under his attention.

Gritting his teeth, Evillustrator swiped his pen across the tablet’s screen.

Like a guillotine had cut through her, Riposte split in half.

Evillustrator scribbled on his tablet.

Streak by streak Riposte was erased from existence.

“ _If only you could erase your mistakes as easily as you erased her_ ,” Hawkmoth chimed in Evillustrator’s head. “ _A good first draft. For your second may I suggest not dividing your attention? Art takes focus, and your head is in two places._ ”

“You get what you want, and I get what I want.” Evillustrator pressed the tip of his pen to the tablet. He drew a triangle.

“ _That is the agreement, but it seems you are not able to keep up your end of the bargain if you remain distracted. As the producer of this sequel, I think it is only right that I step in and give you direction._ ”

Evillustrator’s left hand moved of its own accord. Pain like static shock prickled said hand.

Evillustrator hissed. His hand tapped on his screen to close his work in progress. It pulled up an animation of his former self leading Marc through Paris by the hand.

His left hand tapped the eraser icon outside of the animation.

“ _Your show has been cancelled._ ”

“No.” Evillustrator gritted his teeth. His hand quaked as it hovered over the moving image of his former self. Marc had yet to experience what Evillustrator had planned for him. It was a show of love that would sweep Marc off his feet and make him realize that the only person for him was the one standing right in front of him.

Hawkmoth would not ruin his moment!

Evillustrator yanked his left hand away from the screen.

The pain ceased.

“ _That is not possible! I gave you your power. I can take it away!_ ”

“And then you get to work with someone who has no experience fighting Chat Noir and Ladybug. Whereas not only do I have experience, but I almost stole Ladybug’s miraculous.” Evillustrator flexed his left hand, testing out his control. “You’ll still get what you want, but the only one with a creative license around here is me.”

Nathaniel took his pen to his tablet. He minimized the animation of Marc and his former self then brought up his drawing of a triangle. With a few more strokes, he completed his drawing.

Under his feet a giant, black and white, paper airplane popped into existence. Pleasure coursed through his being at the memory of the villain who had inspired him to draw such a thing.

He considered drawing Reverser himself, but shortly rejected the idea. The real Reverser would be a boon against Chat Noir and Ladybug. The copycat version of his Reverser would be useless. Evillustrator could draw the akumatized, but he could not copy their powers. Reverser had no physical prowess. Without his ability to flip people’s personalities, Reverser would be easily overpowered by the superhero duo.

Reverser’s means of flying was a different matter.

Evillustrator soared through the air on Reverser’s paper airplane. He looked at the streets below. Joy tickled his insides. There were so many places where he could cause mayhem and panic. He just didn’t know where to choose.

* * *

Marc was in heaven. Nathaniel was holding his hand!

NATHANIEL was holding HIS HAND!

Okay, maybe it wasn’t that big a deal. Nathaniel had grabbed his hand when they were in danger and led him away, but this was different! This wasn’t panic driven grab-your-friend’s-hand-and-lead-them-to-safety-hand-holding. This was strolling-down-the-street-hand-holding. Both were romantic, but the motivations behind the latter were less muddled by urgency and need. Nathaniel was holding Marc’s hand because he wanted to.

Embarrassment coiled in Marc’ stomach at his thoughts. Gosh, he really was pathetic, wasn’t he? He was crushing so hard; it was amazing that Nathaniel had no idea how Marc felt about him.

Nathaniel’s obliviousness was probably a good indicator of just how much Nathaniel saw Marc as a potential romantic partner.

Zero percent.

The thought stung. Marc bowed his head.

“There he is!” Nathaniel perked up. He tugged Marc closer as he pointed to an ice cream cart down the road.

“My name is Andre, Andre glacier the sweetheart matchmaker~ With one scoop or two, I’ll find love for you~ With magical ice cream flavors~!” Sweet and portly Andre sang, summoning nearby couples to his cart like a siren seducing a sailor.

Warmth pooled in Marc’s cheeks. He brought his hand up to his gaping mouth. “Oh.”

He was in a dream, or perhaps he was misunderstanding. Nathaniel couldn’t possible want to have ice cream with him, or maybe Nathaniel did but he didn’t know the significance of Andre’s ice cream. Just because Andre and his magical ice cream was a bit of legend around Paris didn’t mean Nathaniel followed the gossip.

Nathaniel’s smile curved widely, encompassing most of his face. “Come on.” He gently pulled on Marc’s hand.

“Oh. Um.” Marc dropped his hand from his mouth to flail it around in panic. “Nathaniel, Andre’s ice cream...um...well...you see...it’s not that singles can’t buy ice cream from him, but um... it’s a bit of a couple thing.” Marc winced. He braced himself for Nathaniel to freak out.

“Yeah.” Amusement twinkled in Nathaniel’s eyes.

Did Nathaniel not understand? Marc cleared his throat. He tried to explain again. “Nathaniel, if we go up there together it’s going to look like we are couple.”

A soft, speckle of red tinted Nathaniel’s cheeks. His smile grew as he shyly rubbed the back of his neck. He averted his gaze. “Yeah, well, that’s kind of the point. Unless, you’d rather not.”  

Marc must have died when Stoneheart had attacked the school. Heck, maybe he had died when he had chased after Nathaniel? He was klutzy enough that he could have hit his head on something hard enough that he killed himself.

Either way, this was the afterlife. There was just no way Nathaniel wanted to get couple’s ice cream with him from Andre.

Nathaniel stopped rubbing his neck. His smile slowly shrank until it was a thin line. Nathaniel lowered his hand from his neck as he released his hold on Marc. “Maybe you’d rather not?”

Disappointment and hurt softened Nathaniel’s voice.

Panic jumpstarted Marc’s heart and actions. He gesticulated. “No! No! I would love to! I uh… I just didn’t think you would want to.” Marc hugged his arm. He looked down at his feet as he scuffed the toe of his shoe against the cement. “I know you don’t like being made fun of, and getting ice cream with me… well,” Marc forced himself to smile, “...it’s a guarantee that someone’s going to make fun of you.”

Astonishment jerked Nathaniel’s head back and widened his eyes. “You think…” Nathaniel cut himself off with a shake of his head. He scowled. Nathaniel planted his palms on Marc’s shoulders. “You’re right. I don’t like people making of fun of me, but if someone’s going to make fun of me because I like you, then they can throw themselves in the river for all I care. I like you.”

Giddiness and embarrassment concocted a heady sensation within Marc that made his head spin with delirium. “Thank you, but it’s not just a matter of liking me that will get you made fun of. It’s...um… _liking_ me.” Marc wished there was a better word for what he was trying to say. He didn’t dare use “love.” It would be too presumptuous. Saying Nathaniel was “fond” of him wasn’t accurate either, at least Marc hoped so. He liked to think Nathaniel was more than fond of him.

Nathaniel stared dumbfounded at Marc. After a beat, Nathaniel tilted his head back, palm to his forehead, and groaned. “Am I really this bad with words or are you just that thick?”

“E-excuse me?” Marc said.

Nathaniel sighed. He twisted at his waist as he reached into his jeans’ back pocket. He pulled out a folded piece of paper then unfolded it.

The image of Mightyllustrator kissing him knocked the breath out of Marc.

The light speckle of red that had tinged Nathaniel’s cheeks before was now a deep rogue that consumed his face. “Do you get it now, Marc? I _like_ you. More than like.”

Marc held out his hands. His fingers touched the page torn out from Nathaniel’s sketchbook. “M-may I hold it?”

Nathaniel hesitated. He relinquished the page to Marc.

Marc couldn’t believe what he was holding. The picture was missing his face, but he could tell by all the details in the hair, the outfit, and the shape of the body that it was supposed to be him. He could even see the erased lines where Nathaniel had drawn his nose and eyes many times. Mightyllustrator was kissing him. Nathaniel’s alter ego was kissing him!

Marc clutched the page to his chest. “Can I keep this?”

Nathaniel was stunned. “But it’s not complete.”

“I don’t care. I…” Marc looked down at the page. “I love it.”

Nathaniel didn’t seem to know what to do. He moved his hands then dropped them. He fidgeted.

Marc was surprised to see Nathaniel so flustered. He knew Nathaniel could be shy, but he was usually so much more confident about his art. He also knew Marc loved everything he drew. How could he not suspect that once Marc saw this drawing that he wouldn’t want to keep it forever?

Marc pushed a strand of hair behind his ear. Maybe it wasn’t that obvious at all, and Marc was just a weirdo?

“You can keep it,” Nathaniel said. “But you can’t lose it or give it to anyone. Understand?”

Nathaniel’s words lifted Marc’s heart high. Marc hugged the drawing. “Thank you.”

Nathaniel gestured to Andre’s cart. His smile returned to his face. “So can we get ice cream already?”

Marc nodded. Still hugging the drawing to his chest with one arm, he held out his hand like a princess waiting for her prince to lead her out onto the dance floor.

A sound of amusement escaped Nathaniel as he cupped Marc’s hand to play the role of the prince in Marc’s fantasy.

* * *

Ladybug huddled in a bush behind a restaurant as she waited for Chat Noir to return. She had gotten him tucked away in an alley before he de-transformed, but she hadn’t had time to put distance between herself and him. His costume had started to vanish, and she’d had just enough time to spin around and cover her eyes.

Chat Noir and her could not know each other’s civilian identities.

“I’ll wait here,” she had said. “There’s something strange going on. I need time to think.” She had felt guilty that she hadn’t gone after Riposte or Evillustrator, but in her gut she knew that throwing herself back into battle would do her no good. Waiting for Chat Noir’s return would give her that much needed time.

She just wished she didn’t need to hide in the bushes in case civilians spotted her. The last thing she needed was an enthusiastic fan giving away her location to the villains running amok.

The bush’s branches were yanked aside by clawed, black gloves. Chat Noir’s green eyes twinkled as his usual smirk spread across his face. “I thought I’d heard a bug nearby. I wasn’t sure if you would really still be here.”

Ladybug climbed out of the bush. “Honestly, I’m not entirely sure where to go. Three different villains in less than an hour, and one of which disappeared without a trace? Either everyone is having a bad day or something is amiss.”

“Three?” Chat Noir counted on his fingers. “I only counted two.”

“Evillustrator was on the rooftop.”

“You must be mistaken.” Chat shook his head. His faux cat ears flopped along with his movements. “Evillustrator’s alter ego is a guy named Nathaniel. When I arrived, Nathaniel and his friend Marc had just avoided a stoning from Stoneheart.”

Ladybug snapped her fingers. Chat Noir was right. “But we didn’t see Evillustrator at the same time as Nathaniel, did we?” Ladybug hummed in thought. It was possible that Nathaniel had transformed into Evillustrator after the attack.

Her gut churned with worry for Marc. If Nathaniel had transformed when he was with Marc, then what had happened to the shy writer?

“So three villains.” Chat Noir tapped a claw to his bottom lip. He hummed. “This is a purrculiar situation.”

Ladybug nodded. Her thoughts moved like cogs in a clock. “Could it all be one villain? You said you saw Nathaniel right before we saw Evillustrator. It’s possible that Nathaniel transformed, but what if he hadn’t and the Evillustrator I saw was just an illusion or a copy? You didn’t happen to see Ivan or uh…” Ladybug struggled to recall the fencing girl’s name. “...Kagami? Did you?”

Chat Noir shook his head.

Ladybug huffed. She crossed her arms over her chest as she paced. Three villains, which meant three people to de-akumatize. Ladybug didn’t think Hawkmoth could akumatize more than one person at once. Had his powers grown stronger or had he created a villain who could make copies of previous villains?

“Ugh!” Ladybug clutched her head. She grimaced as she stomped her foot. “This is so frustrating! I have no idea what is going on.”

“Welcome to my world.” Chat Noir smiled serenely as he gestured to the world around him. “Maybe it’s time to use your Lucky Charm? It might point us in the right direction.”

It still felt a little too soon to be using her Lucky Charm when she didn’t even know who or what she was up against, but Chat Noir had a point. She needed direction, and her Lucky Charm was her best shot at getting some.

“If my Lucky Charm is going to give us direction then we are going to need to get a better view of the city.” Ladybug turned her attention to the Eiffel Tower.

* * *

Marc crossed his arms atop the Pont des Arts’ rail, mindful of his ice cream cone. His knees brushed against the many locks that covered the bridge. Soft purple, pink, and orange hues had painted over the blue of the sky. The River Seine flowed beneath the bridge. The sound of its waters tranquilized the last of Marc’s doubts that whispered he was dreaming.

“Your ice cream is going to melt,” Nathaniel said from beside him. Nathaniel licked at the rainbow sherbet that dripped down his cone. The blueberry chocolate chip scoop at the top of his ice melded with the scoop of rainbow sherbet.

Amusement tickled Marc as he watched Nathaniel chase his melting dessert with his tongue.

“Looks like yours already is.” Marc licked at his double scoop of blood orange and grape flavored ice cream.  

The wind played with Marc’s hair. He sighed as he sagged against the bridge. “Thanks for today.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Nathaniel’s shoulders rose up an inch as he smiled shyly. “After how I acted at school, I was worried you’d say no.”

Marc frowned at the reminder. He pushed himself off the rail. “Why did you act that way?”

Nathaniel had been going in for another lick of his ice cream when Marc had asked his question. Nathaniel paused with his mouth slightly agape. “Isn’t it obvious?”

“I know you don’t like that I got Luka involved in our comic book, but I don’t understand why.” Uncertainty caused Marc to look away from Nathaniel. “I would think adding music to our online comic would make it more special.”

“It’s not about the music, Marc. It’s about you and Luka.”

Marc’s brow pinched. “I don’t understand.”

Nathaniel shifted nervously. He was back to rubbing his neck and looking anywhere but at Marc. “I like you Marc, and Luka is just so cool. Don’t you get it?”

“I-” Realization hit Marc like a bus. Nathaniel was jealous of Luka! “But you’re so cool!”

Nathaniel jerked out of his embarrassed pose. “What? What are you talking about?” He deflated. “I’m a loser.”

Marc vehemently shook his head. “You’re one of the coolest people I know. You’re so creative. I know you say you struggle with coming up with storylines, but you sell yourself short. You have so many ideas for art and stories. I just help you flesh them out a little bit or trim them back. Also, you know about music too! Nathaniel, there’s nothing you can’t do! You’re so amazing; I can’t believe you even let me work with you.”

“What am I talking about? What are _you_ talking about? I can draw a scene in my head, but you’re the one who comes up with the dialogue and reason for how that scene came about. You take these images in my head and somehow make them cohesive. Not only that, but you’re so patient and kind. I don’t know why you put up with a jerk like me, especially when I tore up your notebook after we met.” Nathaniel clenched his free fist. “If someone had done that to my sketchbook, I would never forgive them.”

“Well, it helps that I turned into Reverser after that.” Marc dipped his hand into his hoodie pocket. He felt the edges of the folded page that Nathaniel had given him. “I wasn’t the nicest guy as Reverser.”

“Being Akumatized doesn’t count, and you know it,” Nathaniel said.

Marc’s insides tangled, creating small but not insignificant knots of doubt in his gut. Those knots pulled on the strings tied to the words in his mouth. The knots made him unable to speak.

He took a moment to remind himself that Nathaniel cared about him. Nathaniel could burn people with his passion, but at the end of the day, Nathaniel didn’t want to hurt anyone, least of all Marc himself. With that thought in mind, Marc was able to loosen the knots in his stomach and give his words freedom. “That’s mostly true, but I don’t think entirely. When I was Reverser, I did a lot of things I would never do; however, I always wanted to make a comic book with you. It seems like when people are akumatized they hold onto the piece of themselves that made them susceptible to Hawkmoth in the first place.”

Nathaniel was speechless.

Nathaniel’s silence caused the knots in Marc’s stomach to tighten up. They leashed his words again.

He should have just kept quiet.

“You’re right,” Nathaniel stated.

As if the knots had been placed above a candle, the knots in Marc’s stomach charred then burned away. “Really? You think so?”

“Yeah, but the fact that you noticed that just proves how awesome you are.”

Marc’s spirit lifted like a hot air balloon. “Thanks, but how about we both call each other awesome? I don’t think we’ll ever agree otherwise.”

Nathaniel chuckled. “Yeah.” Nathaniel sidled closer. His arm brushed against Marc’s knuckles. The soft material of Nathaniel’s jacket blocked Marc from feeling the texture of Nathaniel’s arm, but it did not prevent him from feeling its build. Nathaniel wasn’t an athlete, but his arms weren’t absent of muscles.

Marc sucked on the inside of his cheek as unbidden thoughts of Nathaniel holding him entered his mind.

“Hey, Marc-”

A loud crashing sound in the distance cut off Nathaniel. The water swelled then rushed beneath as the ground trembled.

Marc gasped as he dropped his ice cream cone into the violent waters below. He whirled toward the source of the commotion.

A dastardly dessert of a humongous ice cream man rampaged at the Arc de Triomphe.

* * *

Ladybug and Chat Noir arrived near the top of the Eiffel Tower via yo-yo and extendable staff. Ladybug had debated going all the way to the top, but thought better of it. Going that high up would deny her strong footing; she’d have to keep hold of the flagpole or else risk losing her balance. She could still get a decent view just a little bit lower without putting herself in a precarious position to fall.

Ladybug walked across the metal beam at her feet, positioning herself at its center.

Nearby, Chat Noir lounged against the metalwork of the tower.

Ladybug took a deep breath. “All right. Here it goes.” Ladybug flicked her yo-yo into the air. “Lucky-”

The earth shook.

“Whoa!” Chat Noir clung to the tower.

Ladybug staggered sideways. She slid onto her knee. She grabbed hold of the beam at her feet to keep herself in place. She scanned the area for danger as she reeled her yo-yo in.

The colorful and sugary sight of Glacier at the Arc de Triomphe was as noticeable as a cavity.

Chat Noir pried himself from the tower as the shakes lessened. He pulled out his staff and extended it. “Looks like we know where to go next.”

“Wait.” Ladybug held up her hand to stop Chat Noir. She flipped her yo-yo over. She slipped out the yo-yo’s inner compact mirror, which also worked as a communication device between her and Chat Noir. The mirror also had another little feature that was handy.

Ladybug had the mirror hook up to the internet.

“Milady, I enjoy Candy Crush myself, but this ice cream isn’t going to melt on its own.”

“Sorry, Chat but I just need to know if we’re being served ice cream or sorbet.” Ladybug pulled up a webpage. She inwardly cheered at the image of Andre just a little ways away from the Pont des Arts. The picture had been posted just minutes ago. Ladybug flipped her yo-yo around to show Chat Noir what she had found. “That Glaciator is not Andre. We’re dealing with someone who can recreate our past foes.”

Chat Noir shuddered. “Talk about Sequel-itis. I’m already tired of fighting these guys. Are you telling me we have to fight every enemy we’ve ever faced?”

“Hopefully not. In order to make sure that doesn’t happen we’ve gotta find the person who is creating them.” Ladybug slid the mirror back into its compartment in the yo-yo. She positioned herself to throw her yo-yo. “Third time is the charm. Lucky Charm!” Ladybug hurled her yo-yo into the air. White light swirled around the yo-yo as luminescent ladybugs swarmed then engulfed the toy. The light and ladybugs dispersed.

A pair of binoculars dropped into Ladybug’s hands.

“Hey! You got something normal for once,” Chat Noir cheered.

Ladybug frowned. Binoculars were great, but only if she knew where to point them at.

Her gaze darted until her Ladybug vision kicked in. A path of red with black spots cut through Paris. The path head away from the damage Glaciator was creating. Ladybug followed the trail to its end then brought the binoculars up to her eyes. She adjusted the binoculars so she had a detailed view of the Pont des Arts.

Doubt spiked through her being when she spotted Marc and Nathaniel on the bridge.

Suddenly something in Marc’s jacket pocket flashed red with black polka dots.

Ladybug zoomed in on the object in Marc’s pocket, but it was just the corner of something. Maybe a sheet of paper?

Whatever it was, Ladybug would need it in order to defeat the derivative degenerate.

Another _crash_ sent a chill up Ladybug’s spine. She lowered the binoculars and returned her attention to Glaciator. Fake or not, the villain was causing real damage. “Chat Noir, I need you to hold off Glaciator while I hunt down the person behind this.”

Chat Noir rolled his wrist with a flourish as he bowed at the waist. “As you wish, milady.” Chat Noir twirled his staff as he sauntered backwards a few steps. He surged forward. He leaped off the Eiffel Tower.

He dropped several meters before extending his staff. The end of his staff caught on the ground. He used his momentum and the staff to spring himself forward. He bounced from place to place as he headed in the direction of the Arc de Triomphe.

Ladybug mimicked Chat Noir’s back stepping actions. Just as Chat had whirled his staff, Ladybug pin wheeled her yo-yo. She dashed to the thick, beam’s edge and launched herself off it. Her yo-yo soared through the air and latched onto the nearest building.

She swung herself across the city.

Ladybug silently hoped that Marc and Nathaniel would still be at the Pont des Arts when she arrived.

* * *

Maybe it was the ice cream, but Marc’s insides froze at the sight of Glaciator stomping around the Arc de Triomphe. “It’s like the monster mash,” Marc whispered to himself. He touched his mouth. “Have we ever had more than one person akumatized in one day?”

“I’m little too focused on Ice Cream Man over there to recall,” Nathaniel said.

Marc scurried to the bridge’s opposite rail. The locks jingled as he clasped the railing. His heart felt like a cartoon character bungee jumping off of a cliff. One moment his heart was plummeting, the next it was yanked viciously upward, only to plummet again.

He felt so powerless.

“It’s kind of cool though.”

Like a car skidding off the road, Marc’s thoughts screeched as they swerved. Had Nathaniel really just said that? “People are in danger.”

“I know that.” Nathaniel tensed. His hand moved to reach for his neck, but he dropped it. “I mean… it’s terrible, but it’s a classic trope. Villains teaming up for revenge or whatever.”

“This isn’t a comic book.”

Nathaniel flinched. He curled into himself like an armadillo. “You’re right. Sorry. It’s just Ladybug and Chat Noir save the day and then everything goes back to normal. Always.”

“But what if this is the one time it doesn’t?” Marc gestured at Glaciator, who rammed his icy fist into the Arc de Triomphe. He took a chunk out of the arch.

“I wish there was something we could do.”

“Actually…” A shadow flew overhead. Marc craned his head up just as Ladybug flipped in the air and landed a few steps away. Ladybug’s yo-yo rolled itself up in her hand. A pair of binoculars dangled from her neck. “Your help is exactly what I need.”

* * *

Evillustrator monitored his animation of Marc and his former self. The sound of cars honking faded as they were replaced by screams of terror as citizens fled from their cars and into farther parts of the city. The sound was a beautiful symphony that Evillustrator regrettably could not enjoy.

An itch of irritation nipped at him like an untrained dog. The worried expression on Marc’s face in his animation unsettled him. Marc was supposed to be enjoying the date. It was supposed to be romantic. Evillustrator would even go so far as to say cheesy. He’d been prepared to add raining rose petals to the scene, mood lighting, and music. It would be the kind of date that romantics salivated for.

Setting up Chat Noir and Ladybug took priority though, and that required drawing the duo’s attention. Unfortunately unleashing Glaciator had the side effect of stealing Marc’s focus as well.

If he didn’t need to lure Chat Noir and Ladybug out from hiding, he would have picked a less eye catching method.

Evillustrator wrote a brief script next to his former self then circled the dialogue to create a speech bubble. He just needed Marc to see things from a different perspective. All these villains creating chaos was exactly the kind of thing that they would want in their comic. It was exciting and suspenseful. Only the creator of the tale would know who would show up next.

“Hey, sugar daddy, it’s time for you to chill out!” Cutting through the last of the screams of the fleeing citizens, Chat Noir’s voice stoked Evillustrator’s excitement and hunger for a battle of wits and creativity.

Evillustrator flew closer on his paper airplane to the battleground. In the dim of the twilight and with car after car filling the street, it was hard to pick out the black cat themed superhero until he attacked. His staff was a shimmer of silver as he sliced through Glaciator’s ankles.

Glaciator’s gumdrop mouth arced downward. He flailed one strawberry and vanilla flavored arm as his body listed to the side.

Evillustrator smirked. He picked up his pen in preparation of drawing something that would really give that cat a streak of bad luck. He bent his arm and positioned his tablet in front of him. He moved to close the animation of Marc and his former self only to halt as an unwanted super heroine corrupted his art like a computer virus.

He couldn’t let Ladybug anywhere near Marc.

Evillustrator clenched his jaw and pen. A growl of frustration tickled his throat. He spared Chat Noir and Glaciator a glance.

Chat Noir could play with ice cream man by himself. Ladybug was the real threat.

Evillustrator took off toward the Pont des Arts. He sketched rapidly on his tablet. Ladybug wasn’t going to get anywhere close to Marc.

* * *

“M-me?” Marc pointed at himself. Then he heard what he had just said. “I mean-my help? Why would you want my help?” Cynical thoughts dragged Marc down like a weighted net. Even so, all of his hope wasn’t quite captured yet. Ladybug was amazing and kind. As incredulous as what she said was, she wasn’t the type to lie.

“Yes.” Ladybug held out her hand as she approached Marc. “You have some-”

Nathaniel slid between Marc and Ladybug. He flung his arm out to widen the barricade made by his body. “Hold it. The fight is over there!” Nathaniel pointed toward Glaciator. “What are you doing here?”

Ladybug stopped. The binoculars swayed on her chest. Her mouth formed a small circle of surprise. She swiftly shook off her shock. She puffed herself up like a toad bluffing. “I’m here because Marc has something that can help me stop the person behind today’s akuma attacks.” She pointed to Marc’s jacket pocket.

Marc’s hand covered his pocket on instinct. As his thumb brushed against the fine edge of the paper he’d tucked away there. Realization struck to be succeeded by muddled thoughts as Marc tried to make sense of what was occurring. It was challenging enough to believe that Ladybug wanted his help. It was more difficult to believe that she wanted Nathaniel’s drawing. How could a drawing of Mightyllustrator kissing him save the day?

Embarrassment bubbled within Marc as an internal voice underlined the fact that Ladybug wanted a picture of Mightyllustrator kissing him. If his feelings for Nathaniel weren’t obvious enough, the picture would be a dead giveaway. Ladybug didn’t seem like the type to make fun of Nathaniel and him for having feelings for each other, but what if she did?

Ladybug took a step forward. “Please, I really need-”

Vines exploded from beneath Ladybug’s feet. Like furious tentacles, the vines entangled themselves around each other and Ladybug’s limbs.

Ladybug cried out as she attempted to back flip out of the path of the vines only to be dragged back by her foot. Vines curled up her legs then bound them together. She twisted her upper body in an attempt to keep her arms free, but the vines latched onto them.

“Ladybug!” Marc rushed toward the captured heroine, but Nathaniel maintained his physical blockade. Marc attempted to swerve around Nathaniel, but Nathaniel shuffled into Marc’s path. “Nathaniel, what are you doing? We have to help Ladybug.”

“That won’t be happening.” Nathaniel’s voice came from behind Marc.

Except Nathaniel was standing in front of Marc.

Marc whirled. Evillustrator hopped off of Reverser’s paper airplane.

Time slowed as Marc’s heartbeat speed up. His nerves sent off a series of messages to his brain, but the dispatched information came in as static. He’d memorized what Evillustrator looked like long ago, but he wasn’t prepared to meet the villain face to face. As the wicked artiste strode toward him, Marc was taken in by him. He could see Nathaniel’s face behind the black mask. His build and bone structure were the same, but he carried himself with a confidence that Nathaniel didn’t possess.

“Evillustrator, you leave Marc and Nathaniel alone!” Ladybug shouted. She wiggled against the vines.

Evillustrator sketched on his tablet as he waltzed up to Marc and Nathaniel. He stopped before Marc with a smirk on his face that made Marc’s stomach do cartwheels.

“I would never hurt Marc.”

Something lightweight and metallic settled on Marc’s wrist.

A handcuff connected to a long chain tied Marc to the bridge’s rail.

Marc gasped. His free hand shot to his captured wrist. He yanked on the handcuff, but it resisted his pull. He twisted his wrist in search of an emergency release lever on the handcuff. He felt for the lever with his fingers.

Evillustrator flicked his pen against his tablet and Nathaniel vanished.

“Nathaniel!” Marc lurched forward, arm outstretched. Tears blurred his vision as a desolate coldness swept through him. Silence engulfed his world.

Nathaniel was gone.

A heavy hand landed on Marc’s shoulder. A loathing sneer cut across Evillustrator’s face. The feature morphed into a sorrowful frown. “Marc,” Evillustrator spoke softly, “I’m still here. That was just a drawing.”

A jagged breath carved Marc’s chest. “What? He—you…?”

“I’m the real one. I created that copy so you could have the date you deserve.”

“So it’s been you this whole time?” Ladybug wrestled one arm free from the vines. The vines were stubborn. They refused to release her so easily. They stretched and grappled for her arm.

Evillustrator’s hand dropped from Marc’s shoulder. He shifted his gaze to the handcuff on Marc’s wrist. “Sorry. I’ll make it up to you once I have Ladybug’s miraculous.” His hand shot into Marc’s pocket. Before Marc could stop him, Evillustrator stole the folded page. “Thank you for looking after this.”

 _The drawing!_ Marc’s brain shouted.

Evillustrator turned to go.

Marc seized Evillustrator’s wrist.

Evillustrator whirled with a scowl fastened in place. “Marc-”

Marc grabbed Evillustrator’s head. He smashed their lips together.

Their teeth clacked together. A brief jolt of pain tingled Marc’s teeth and lips from the collision. It soon faded. His eyes went half-lidded as he angled his head. His nose bumped Evillustrator’s. He watched as Evillustrator’s eyes started wide with shock then slowly closed. Sturdy hands held Marc’s hips.

Marc leaned into Evillustrator. The fingers he’d tangled in Evillustrator's wild locks, slid through the soft, thick strands then joined Evillustrator’s hands at his hip. Marc let his eyes fall to a close. Evillustrator’s breath was hot against his mouth, scorching Marc in a way that burned away the last of his defenses. The kiss was intimate in a way Marc couldn’t have imagined.

The intimacy that embraced Marc put his heart in an iron maiden and slammed the torture device shut.

He yanked the folded page out from Evillustrator’s grasp.

Evillustrator’s eyes flew open.

“I’m sorry.” Marc tore the page in half.

“No!” Evillustrator snatched at the two halves as they fell to the ground.

“Ah!” Ladybug exclaimed as she twisted her upper half free of the vines.

The pieces of paper turned black and purple as a black butterfly flew out of them.

Ladybug grabbed her yo-yo off her hip. She traced her fingers up the yo-yo’s face, causing the surface to split open like ladybug wings. A white light shone from within the yo-yo. “No more evil-doing for you little akuma.” With a flick of the wrist, she sent the yo-yo soaring toward the butterfly.

The yo-yo overcame the butterfly. The ladybug wings flapped shut on the butterfly, and sealed the butterfly inside the white light chamber.

The yo-yo zipped into Ladybug’s hand. With a press of a button, Ladybug released the butterfly, which had transformed from a storm of dark colors to a luminescent white. “Bye-bye little butterfly,” Ladybug murmured as the butterfly flew off into the sky.

Ladybug removed the binoculars from her neck. She threw them up into the air with a cry of: “Miraculous Ladybug!”

The binoculars exploded into swarm of shimmering ladybugs that zoomed off in all directions to undo the damage done by Evillustrator. Hundreds of them descended upon Evillustrator, covering him from head to toe, before fluttering off to join their brethren in repairing the city.

Nathaniel dropped to his knees. His palms hit the bridge as he braced himself against the impact. Between his hands lay his drawing torn in two; Mightyllustrator was separated from Marc.

A few glowing ladybugs swirled around the ripped drawing. With their dance, the ladybugs bridged the two pieces together then disappeared.

Nathaniel groaned. He clutched his head. “What did I do?”

Relief sucker punched Marc. He fell to his knees in front of Nathaniel. He threw his arms around Nathaniel. Nathaniel stiffened at his touch. Insecurity demanded that he release Nathaniel, but Marc was so happy to see Nathaniel—the real Nathaniel. He burrowed his face in Nathaniel’s shoulder. Tears pricked his eyes. “I was so scared.”

Nathaniel’s shoulders lifted then dropped. Hesitantly, Nathaniel laid his hands on Marc’s hips. After a moment, Nathaniel’s hands jumped to Marc’s back.

Nathaniel hugged Marc with all his strength. His chin hooked on Marc’s shoulder.

Marc melted as he clung to Nathaniel.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m such a jerk,” Nathaniel mumbled into Marc’s neck.

Marc pulled his head back so Nathaniel and he could look at each other. “Sometimes, but everyone has their moments. It doesn’t change the way I feel about you.”

Dread encased Marc’s last ship of hope like the kraken. With just a word Nathaniel could sink Marc’s vessel. “All that stuff fake-you said: was it true?”  

Marc had thought that Nathaniel was using every ounce of his strength to hug him, but he was wrong. Once Marc uttered his question, Nathaniel’s strength doubled. He embraced Marc like Marc was the only buoy in the ocean and Nathaniel was a shipwrecked sailor trapped in the tumultuous waters during a storm. “Of course it was.”

“It looks like you two have quite a bit to talk about,” Ladybug interrupted. She swung her yo-yo at the roof of one of the buildings nearby. “I’ll leave you two alone. I need to make sure Chat Noir didn’t get turned into an ice cream sandwich.” Ladybug dashed a few paces then jumped into the air to swing from building to building toward the peaceful Arc de Triomphe.

A sense of serenity fell over Marc. He was grateful to not see Glaciator destroying the historical landmark.

Marc startled when Nathaniel loosened his embrace.

Marc touched Nathaniel’s arm.

Their eyes met. Guilt and sorrow weighed down Nathaniel’s face.

Marc had let his embrace loosen, but seeing such negative emotions on Nathaniel’s face caused him to tighten his hold again.

“I became the Evillustrator again. I’m awful.”

“You’re human.”

“Ivan is the only other person to have been akumatized twice, and he was Ladybug and Chat Noir’s first fight. They probably just hadn’t figured out how their powers or whatever worked yet.”

“Maybe, but wallowing about it isn’t going to help. Also…” Marc hoped what he said next was cool or charming. It’d be so embarrassing if it wasn’t. Also, he’d look presumptuous too. He was willing to take the risk though if it would cheer Nathaniel up. “...I don’t like you talking about my boyfriend like that.”

Nathaniel jumped in Marc’s arms. He stared at Marc.

Marc bowed his head. His blush burned. “I-if you want to be my boyfriend, that is. I know our first date wasn’t… actually did we even have a first date? Wait… technically I dated a drawing of yours, didn’t I? Wow! I can say I dated a fictional character—or can I? Because it was a drawing of you and you are a real person.”

Nathaniel’s shoulders shook. Snickers sneaked out from between his lips. Nathaniel fell against Marc’s chest. “I have no idea, but I do want to be your boyfriend. I just can’t believe you’d ever want me.”

Marc shrugged. “The feeling is mutual.”

* * *

“My brain is all pun-ed out.” Marc slumped against Nathaniel.

Nathaniel’s pencil stilled. The weight of Marc’s head on his shoulder was comforting as well as a wonderful distraction from drawing Mightyllustrator’s wings.

The usual band of creative students occupied the art classroom. Rose was strumming on her guitar, and Juleka had taken to jumping between cutting out snowflakes and origami. Alix spray painted a canvas as she listened to music. Marinette sketched beside one of the windows. She was probably working on her latest dress or hat design. Her best friend Alya was typing on her cell phone.

It was normal and peaceful. After what had happened a few days ago, Nathaniel welcomed the peace.

“Chat’s sense of humor annoying you?” Nathaniel asked Marc.

Marc’s hand drifted to Nathaniel’s knee under the table. “I would love it more, if I didn’t feel like I’d used up my last good pun thirty puns ago.”

Nathaniel slipped his hand under the table. He intertwined his fingers with Marc’s. The fingerless gloves on Marc’s hands were soft, but not as soft as Marc’s fingers, which felt small between Nathaniel’s.

Marc sighed. He snuggled himself against Nathaniel’s side. His hair tickled Nathaniel’s cheek and neck.

“We’re not going to get this next issue done if you don’t finish that script and I don’t finish these panels.”

Marc sighed. “I know.” He kept himself flushed against Nathaniel.

Nathaniel smiled to himself.

He loved Marc.

“Hey, Luka!” Rose’s chipper greeting popped Nathaniel’s love bubble.

“Hey, Rose.” Luka lazily smiled. He gave a sloth like wave to Rose as he strolled into the classroom.

Marc took a deep breath as he lifted his head off Nathaniel’s shoulder. He kept himself tucked against Nathaniel. He raised his hand in greeting. “Hi, Luka.”

Luka’s smile lit up a little extra at the sight of Marc.

Nathaniel’s stomach churned. He breathed deep as he reminded himself that he had no reason to be jealous. Marc and he were dating now. Marc had chosen him. Marc wanted him.

Nonetheless, insecurity wasn’t so easily squashed.

Nathaniel squeezed Marc’s hand.

Marc redirected his pink smile at Nathaniel. He squeezed Nathaniel’s hand back. Affection and encouragement shone in Marc’s green gaze. That light in Marc’s eyes banished the dark doubts that plagued Nathaniel.

“Hi, Luka.” Nathaniel broke eye contact with Marc to send a smile Luka’s way.

“Hey.” Luka patted Nathaniel’s back as he walked past him and Marc. He grabbed a stool on the other side of Marc. He pulled it up to the table and sat. Even though Marc was between them, Luka’s attention latched onto Nathaniel. “You know, I didn’t find it very cool the other day when you yelled at Marc and ran out of here. Got me pretty bent out of shape, but I’ve been thinking about it, and I realized, I talk to Marc all the time, but I don’t talk to you. I’m almost a stranger to you, and while some people are cool with a strangers joining in on their art, others aren’t.

“I really love what you and Marc do, and I wanted to show my support the best way I know how. I didn’t mean to offend. That being said, yelling at Marc was still uncool.”

“You’re right,” Nathaniel stated. “I was a jerk for yelling at Marc and storming out of here.” An odd sensation swirled within him at Luka’s words. It was a mix of awe and admiration. It would have been so easy for Luka to rant against Nathaniel. Instead, Luka had taken the time to try and see things from Nathaniel’s perspective.

That was just so amazing and awesome. His respect for Luka shot up.

“I was also a jerk to you. You’re really talented, and I let my jealousy get the better of me.”

Luka cocked his head sideways. His nose wrinkled. He was perturbed. His eyes darted over Nathaniel in search of understanding. His gaze zeroed in on the closeness of Marc and Nathaniel. His eyes drifted down their arms to where their joined hands were obscured by the table.

Luka’s confusion was replaced by understanding. His lips curled upward. “It happens to the best of us.”

Heat flared in Nathaniel’s cheeks. He rubbed his neck. “So is your offer to write music for our comic still good?”

“Heck, yeah,” Luka answered.

Marc pressed the knuckles of his free hand to his mouth as he squealed. “Yes!” He pumped his fist in the air. “Victory! I mean-” Marc clutched his jacket and hunched his shoulders. “Yay?”

Nathaniel and Luka laughed.


End file.
